With all due respect to the previous commenter, unless an abandoned auto is somehow a hazard, it's not a 911 issue. While it's often best to err on the side of caution, in most cases no-one's life, health or property are threatened by a parked car. Additionally, the fact that "Abandoned Auto" is a category of reportable issues on SeeClickFix in the City of Tucson presumably indicates that this is a preferred channel to communicate items such as this.

The fact that Abandoned Auto is a category on seeclickfix most likely means that this issue is reported to city code inspectors at the Housing and Community Development Department (http://www.tucsonaz.gov/csd/violation/) and not Tucson Police. Reporting an abandoned vehicle through this site would most likely take days if not weeks to have it removed since there are a very limited number of City Code Inspectors...I'm not 100% positive, but I believe a City Code Inspector would have to call TPD themselves anyhow in order to have it tagged to get it towed within 24 hours...Taken from the City website below(http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/infoguide?listing=4) shows that my comments ring true. Again, while 911 should be reserved for emergencies, if one feels that an abandoned vehicle does deserve a more expedited response, this will allow a dispatcher to create a call for service immediately and have an officer dispatched in a timely manner (within hours if not minutes) There are several ways to report...the city suggests the non emergency number I previously advised of...my suggestion is to use 911 for a better response time if deemed necessary since it does in fact warrant a Police Officer response to tag it and have it removed. Junk/Inoperable Vehicles are a different story...perhaps seeclickfix needs to change the wording they use. Junk vehicles on private property are a lower priority than abandoned vehicles in the right of way and I believe TPD doesn't need to become immediately involved and City Code Inspectors can handle the initial complaint...although, be advised, you can also report a junk vehicle to TPD (http://tpdinternet.tucsonaz.gov/Services/junk_new.aspx) The bottom line is, TPD obviously has more clout and resources such as being able to check VIN and License Plate info much easier and quicker then City Code Inspectors who may not arrive for several days....Call TPD as advised...

ABANDONED/DISABLED VEHICLES See: PARKING ENFORCEMENT PROBLEMS
520 791-4444 Ext:

It is unlawful to abandon a non-working vehicle on the roadway for more than 48 hours. To have abandoned vehicles tagged and removed, call the Tucson Police Department.

Just to add/clarify one more thing...the difference between the non-emergency and 911 is big according to a TPD Midtown Community Service Officer who I spoke with...calling the non-emergency can cause issues such as this to "get lost in the shuffle" and sometimes a call for service will not be created...calling 911 guarantees a call will be generated....the priority level will be assigned according to the current call load when the call is put in, and will be dispatched accordingly...there are normally Community Service Officers on duty at all times who are non-sworn personnel whose job is exactly to take calls such as these abandoned autos, minor traffic accidents, public assists, etc. so don't be worried that you are taking cops off of other "real" emergencies in order to address an abandoned vehicle...In addition, just because it may not appear a hazard, one never knows the whole story behind an abandoned vehicle...perhaps it is stolen, used in a crime, hit and run, etc....perhaps although it may not appear a hazard, it could eventually cause problems depending on how long it sits, ie. could get vandalized, could cause other vehicles to swerve to avoid it, and since this particular incident says blocking a walkway, could cause pedestrians, to stray into the roadway, etc...The possibilites are endless and this is why there are City Codes to maintain safety/order. As you can see, I am pretty fired up about issues such as these and when Mr. McCarthy "challenged" my comment, I felt a strong need to write some more...Thanks for your time.

Thanks to you both for the informative feedback. I was advised by TPD and the City that reporting an abandoned or junked auto depends on where it is located.

** If it is on PRIVATE PROPERTY the best route is to report it as a code violation at http://www.tucsonaz.gov/csd/violation/

** If it is on PUBLIC PROPERTY (a street or in the public right of way), as is the case with this vehicle, report it to TPD's non-emergency number (791-4444)

It can also be reported here at SeeClickFix as the City receives reports and forwards them to the correct department for action. Personally, I tend to report issues via multiple channels (squeaky wheel and whatnot). What I like about SCF, though, is that it is the most transparent and engages our neighbors :-)

One other thing worth mentioning is a response to the "...perhaps it is stolen..." comment about the vehicle by our anonymous poster -- who are you, anyway? :-)

You're correct, and not a lot of folks know this easy to check at http://theftaz.azag.gov/ -- which is a twice-daily updated site maintained by the AZ Atty. General's office where you can search by license plate or VIN to see if a vehicle has been reported stolen.

Vehicle has been moved out of the public right of way